I have this fear of losing control in quiet situations...

[afc363]

I'm not sure what started this issue of mine but about 5 to 6 months ago, I began to get this constant fear of yelling in quiet social situations.  I have never lost control and yelled or anything like that, but I just can't help but feel like I'm going crazy.  Normally I will sit in a classroom and just continuously get anxious and worried that I'm losing my control and I'm going to yell -- then everyone will look at me and think I'm crazy.  I'm currently a student so every class I go to, I get this fear.  Sometimes I have had to leave the classroom because of it.  It's just a really bad feeling to have and it's not incredibly helpful given that I'm a student and really shouldn't be leaving a classroom. 

Does anyone have a suggestion on what I can begin to do to relearn that I have complete control over anything I do? 

[jane134]

Hi afc

Have you spoken to your Dr about this? I used to suffer quite badly with social anxiety and CBT Therapy helped me a lot. Maybe that is something you could look into? To put it simply and briefly, it helps you put your thoughts/fears/beliefs into prospective and helps change the way you think.

Good luck.

[eduk8or]

afc363,

I am a teacher and I also have had this exact same intrusive thought.  We aren't back in school from summer break yet, but we have been having our teacher meetings.  I had the exact same thought a couple of times while we were in these meetings.  I've also had them when I've been at the movie theater.  One thing that works for me is to focus on what is going on around me to distract myself from the thought.  I really pay attention to little details, like what color everyone is wearing or what my feet feel like in my shoes or something like that.  Another technique is a cognitive behavioral therapy technique where you write down everytime you think you are going to yell and then what actually happens.  After you do it a few times, you will see that it is nothing but an anxious thought, that you are not going to act on and you can just start to blow it off.  There are other cognitive behavior therapy techniques (CBT) that you can do too...

[Smoky Jo]

Hello         

Welcome, I have had a similar experience, I feel like I am talking or about to start
talking when I am in a quiet place. Sometimes when I am on the telephone and I
am talking to someone and they don't say anything for a few moments I feel like
I am going to say something totally out of context.
I totally know how you feel, sometimes the fear is overwhelming.
My solution:
Lets remember its just an intrusive thought and that's all it is..an intrusive thought,
and you don't have to react to a thought !
Hope this helps a little.
Once again, welcome and have a good day

[afc363]

I've never visited a doctor before.  I visited a school intern about my anxiety but their appointments were oddly place so I stopped going.  I just tried to, instead, stick it out in those nervous situations.  It works sometimes but other times I just get so anxious that I feel like I might go. 

I've tried the writing thing before.  It actually does help.  I just keep writing and writing things to get my mind back on track.  The problem just intensifies anytime I think about it but it's really under control if I'm concentrating on things.  Haha maybe I just need more interesting classes. 

Have any of you guys actually had the problem come to fruition?  I haven't yelled or even made a peep in class before but I do start breathing heavy and having some normal panic feelings.  It's weird how this fear that I have has never actually happened but I just can't get it out of my head that it might happen.

[eduk8or]

And that is exactly what anxiety is... fear that things MIGHT happen.  I don't think any of us on here have ever followed through on whatever our intrusive thought was or had it happen, it is just the fear that it could.  You are doing the right thing by trying to just stick it out in the face of your fear.  If you run away from it, it just keeps getting bigger in your mind.  My staying in the situation as much as possible, you are proving to yourself that it is nothing but a fear and that it is not going to happen.  If writing helps, keep doing that and anything else that can distract you to get your mind off your intrusive thought.